title: Poxvirus infection in a cat with presumptive human transmission.
abstract: The present report describes a case of generalized cowpox virus infection with necrotizing facial dermatitis in a cat and a likely transmission to an animal keeper. The viral aetiology was confirmed by histopathology, immunohistochemistry, PCR, virus isolation, DNA sequencing and electron microscopy. Histopathological examination of the cat's skin revealed a severe, necrotizing dermatitis with ballooning degeneration and hyperplasia of epithelial cells with pathognomonic cytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion bodies. Additionally, at post-mortem examination, a systemic poxvirus infection was detected affecting pancreas, thymus, lymph node, liver and lung. The human patient's skin biopsy revealed an ulcerative dermatitis with epidermal hyperplasia and ballooning degeneration. Serological investigation displayed a high orthopoxvirus-specific antibody titre in the human patient. Environmental factors increase the natural reservoir host population for cowpox viruses, such as voles, which results in a higher risk of infection for cats and subsequently for humans. Due to this zoonotic potential, a cowpox virus infection must be considered as an aetiological differential in cases of necrotizing dermatitis in cats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17, D-30559 Hanover, Germany.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Herder
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wohlsein
authors.forename: Dorothea
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grunwald
authors.forename: Hanno
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaysser
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baumgärtner
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beineke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats; D015605:Cowpox / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D015608:Cowpox virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D037901:Euthanasia, Animal; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology